Renal replacement therapy initiation strategies in comatose patients with severe acute kidney injury: a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The effect of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in comatose patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. We compared two RRT initiation strategies on the probability of awakening in comatose patients with severe AKI.

Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of a trial comparing two delayed RRT initiation strategies in patients with severe AKI.

Long-term outcomes after severe acute kidney injury in critically ill patients: the SALTO study.

Background: The extent of the consequences of an episode of severe acute kidney injury (AKI) on long-term outcome of critically ill patients remain debated. We conducted a prospective follow-up of patients included in a large multicenter clinical trial of renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation strategy during severe AKI (the Artificial Kidney Initiation in Kidney Injury, AKIKI) to investigate long-term survival, renal outcome and health related quality of life (HRQOL). We also assessed the influence of RRT initiation strategy on these outcomes.

Continuous renal replacement therapy versus intermittent hemodialysis as first modality for renal replacement therapy in severe acute kidney injury: a secondary analysis of AKIKI and IDEAL-ICU studies.

Background: Intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) are the two main RRT modalities in patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI). Meta-analyses conducted more than 10 years ago did not show survival difference between these two modalities. As the quality of RRT delivery has improved since then, we aimed to reassess whether the choice of IHD or CRRT as first modality affects survival of patients with severe AKI.

Impact of a restrictive antibiotic policy on the acquisition of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in an endemic region: a before-and-after, propensity-matched cohort study in a Caribbean intensive care unit.

Background: High-level antibiotic consumption plays a critical role in the selection and spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) in the ICU. Implementation of a stewardship program including a restrictive antibiotic policy was evaluated with respect to ESBL-E acquisition (carriage and infection).

Methods: We implemented a 2-year, before-and-after intervention study including all consecutive adult patients admitted for > 48 h in the medical-surgical 26-bed ICU of Guadeloupe University Hospital (French West Indies).

Noninvasive ventilation vs. high-flow nasal cannula oxygen for preoxygenation before intubation in patients with obesity: a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Critically ill patients with obesity may have an increased risk of difficult intubation and subsequent severe hypoxemia. We hypothesized that pre-oxygenation with noninvasive ventilation before intubation as compared with high-flow nasal cannula oxygen may decrease the risk of severe hypoxemia in patients with obesity.

Methods: Post hoc subgroup analysis of critically ill patients with obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg·m) from a multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing preoxygenation with noninvasive ventilation and high-flow nasal oxygen before intubation of patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (PaO/FiO < 300 mm Hg).

Vascular access for renal replacement therapy among 459 critically ill patients: a pragmatic analysis of the randomized AKIKI trial.

Background: Vascular access for renal replacement therapy (RRT) is routine question in the intensive care unit. Randomized trials comparing jugular and femoral sites have shown similar rate of nosocomial events and catheter dysfunction. However, recent prospective observational data on RRT catheters use are scarce.

The Artificial Kidney Initiation in Kidney Injury 2 (AKIKI2): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The Artificial Kidney Initiation in Kidney Injury (AKIKI) trial showed that a delayed renal replacement therapy (RRT) strategy for severe acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients was safe and associated with major reduction in RRT initiation compared with an early strategy. The five criteria which mandated RRT initiation in the delayed arm were: severe hyperkalemia, severe acidosis, acute pulmonary edema due to fluid overload resulting in severe hypoxemia, serum urea concentration > 40 mmol/l and oliguria/anuria > 72 h. However, duration of anuria/oliguria and level of blood urea are still criteria open to debate.

Long-term Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients With Stroke Requiring Mechanical Ventilation.

Background: Data on outcomes of critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation at the onset of stroke are limited.

Objective: To assess the hospital and long-term functional outcomes of patients with stroke who require mechanical ventilation.

Methods: This retrospective single-center cohort study performed from 1994 to 2008 involved adult patients within 7 days of stroke onset and who required intensive care unit admission and mechanical ventilation.

Non-invasive ventilation versus high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy with apnoeic oxygenation for preoxygenation before intubation of patients with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure: a randomised, multicentre, open-label trial.

Background: Non-invasive ventilation has never been compared with high-flow oxygen to determine whether it reduces the risk of severe hypoxaemia during intubation. We aimed to determine if preoxygenation with non-invasive ventilation was more efficient than high-flow oxygen in reducing the risk of severe hypoxaemia during intubation.

Methods: The FLORALI-2 multicentre, open-label trial was done in 28 intensive care units in France.

Liver transplantation in patients with liver failure related to exertional heatstroke.

Background & Aims: Severe acute liver injury is a grave complication of exertional heatstroke. Liver transplantation (LT) may be a therapeutic option, but the criteria for LT and the optimal timing of LT have not been clearly established. The aim of this study was to define the profile of patients who require transplantation in this context.

Timing of Renal Support and Outcome of Septic Shock and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. A Post Hoc Analysis of the AKIKI Randomized Clinical Trial.

Rationale: The optimal strategy for initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with severe acute kidney injury in the context of septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is unknown.

Objectives: To examine the effect of an early compared with a delayed RRT initiation strategy on 60-day mortality according to baseline sepsis status, ARDS status, and severity.

Methods: Post hoc analysis of the AKIKI (Artificial Kidney Initiation in Kidney Injury) trial.

Initiation Strategies for Renal-Replacement Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit.

Background: The timing of renal-replacement therapy in critically ill patients who have acute kidney injury but no potentially life-threatening complication directly related to renal failure is a subject of debate.

Methods: In this multicenter randomized trial, we assigned patients with severe acute kidney injury (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes [KDIGO] classification, stage 3 [stages range from 1 to 3, with higher stages indicating more severe kidney injury]) who required mechanical ventilation, catecholamine infusion, or both and did not have a potentially life-threatening complication directly related to renal failure to either an early or a delayed strategy of renal-replacement therapy. With the early strategy, renal-replacement therapy was started immediately after randomization.

Comparison of two strategies for initiating renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (AKIKI).

Background: There is currently no validated strategy for the timing of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for acute kidney injury (AKI) in the intensive care unit (ICU) when short-term life-threatening metabolic abnormalities are absent. No adequately powered prospective randomized study has addressed this issue to date. As a result, significant practice heterogeneity exists and may expose patients to either unnecessary hazardous procedures or undue delay in RRT.

Diagnostic accuracy of early urinary index changes in differentiating transient from persistent acute kidney injury in critically ill patients: multicenter cohort study.

Introduction: Urinary indices have limited effectiveness in separating transient acute kidney injury (AKI) from persistent AKI in ICU patients. Their time-course may vary with the mechanism of AKI. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of changes over time of the usual urinary indices in separating transient AKI from persistent AKI.

[Severe meprobamate poisoning: description of 146 cases in a French department].

Meprobamate poisoning are serious and sometimes fatal. Faced with a potential stop of marketing, we conducted a multicenter retrospective study to assess the severity criteria presented by patients admitted to the ICU for severe meprobamate poisoning, whether with alone form or in combination with aceprometazine. One hundred fourty-six patients have been enrolled between January 2005 and June 2011: 38 had a single meprobamate poisoning, 104 to meprobamate and aceprometazine and 4 to both forms.

Mycophenolate sodium dosing in combination with tacrolimus: pharmacokinetic evaluation of a novel regimen in de novo tacrolimus-treated kidney transplant patients.

Background: There are no clear guidelines concerning the appropriate dose of mycophenolate acid (MPA) to be used in association with tacrolimus. When MPA is given at an approved fixed dose in cyclosporine-treated patients, initial systemic under exposure is frequent and associated with the occurrence of acute rejection. We pharmacologically evaluated in tacrolimus-treated recipients a novel dosing regimen of MPA with an initial high dose followed by a gradual decrease over time.

UPLC MS/MS method for quantification of mycophenolic acid and metabolites in human plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic study.

Background: We described the development and full validation of a rapid, high throughput sensible and accurate UPLC method using tandem mass spectrometry detection for mycophenolate acid (MPA) and its metabolites, MPA glucuronide (MPAG) and acyl MPA glucuronide (AcMPAG) concentration determination with MPA-D3 as internal standard in human plasma.

Methods: Plasma pretreatment involved a one-step protein precipitation with acetonitrile. The separation was performed by reverse-phase chromatography on a Waters BEH HSST3 100 mm*2.